Writer's attitude towards the topic

Part of your exam question asks you to focus on how the writer conveys his own attitude towards the issues explored.

Robinson Meyer’s article, “The Righteous Anger of the Parkland Shooting’s Teen Survivors” looks at political activism among teenagers in the context of mass shootings and the gun control debate in the US.

In the article, Meyer is not often very straightforward about his attitude in the topics of gun control and teen political activism. He often prefers to suggest his attitude through tone and style of writing, choice of words, certain form of appeal, or indirect argumentation.

For example, if you consider the choice of words, the first hint about the writer’s attitude is in the article’s title: “The Righteous Anger of the Parkland Shooting’s Teen Survivors”. ‘Righteous anger’ is a religious allusion which suggests Meyer takes on the teenagers’ side. In the Bible, righteous anger is the only type of anger which is not a sin, but a legitimate reaction. At the same time, referring to teens as ‘survivors’, suggests Meyer admires them.

The choice of the words in the body of the article is also a way through which Meyer conveys his view on the mass s...